CVE-2026-54147: Medium severity maven/org.http4k:http4k-security-digest vulnerability
Impact
An issue in DigestAuthProvider.verify:
Algorithm silently forced to MD5. The configured algorithm parameter was ignored — every verification used MD5 regardless of configuration. Deployments believing they were running SHA-256 Digest auth were silently inheriting MD5's collision weaknesses, including documented attack paths against Digest schemes that rely on the hash being collision-resistant.
Who is affected: any application using http4k-security-digest for HTTP Digest authentication. The bug has been present since DigestAuthProvider was introduced (commit 8a52b615b1, 2021).
Patches
| Line | Fixed in | Edition | |------|----------|---------| | v6.x (Community) | 6.50.0.0 | Community | | v5.x (LTS) | 5.42.0.0 | Enterprise — contact enterprise@http4k.org (if Digest auth is present in your v5.x line) | | v4.x (LTS) | 4.51.0.0 | Enterprise — contact enterprise@http4k.org (if Digest auth is present in your v4.x line) |
The fix: - Hashes with the configured algorithm instead of hardcoded MD5.
Workarounds
For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately: - Algorithm gap: do not rely on algorithm configuration; assume MD5 is in use and treat the Digest credentials as low-trust.
References
- Vulnerability first present: 8a52b615b1 - Algorithm fix: 65d23d99fc - Fix release: v6.50.0.0 - Background: RFC 7616 — HTTP Digest Access Authentication
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
maven/org.http4k:http4k-security-digestto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.50.0.0 - Upgrade
Upgrade
maven/org.http4k:http4k-security-digestto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.42.0.0 - Upgrade
Upgrade
http4k/http4kto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.51.0.0 - Upgrade
Upgrade
http4k/http4kto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.42.0.0 - Upgrade
Upgrade
http4k/http4kto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 6.50.0.0 - Upgrade
Upgrade
http4k/http4kto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Patch 65d23d99fc - Compensating control
For deployments that cannot upgrade immediately, do not rely on the configured `algorithm` parameter; treat Digest credentials as low-trust because verification is using MD5 regardless of configuration (affects any application using `http4k-security-digest` for HTTP Digest authentication).
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2026-54147?
The severity of CVE-2026-54147 is medium with a score of 6.5.
What impact does CVE-2026-54147 have on systems?
CVE-2026-54147 causes the `algorithm` parameter to be ignored, resulting in all verifications using MD5 instead of the intended algorithm.
How do I fix CVE-2026-54147?
To fix CVE-2026-54147, update to the latest version of http4k that addresses the issue.
What software is affected by CVE-2026-54147?
CVE-2026-54147 affects the http4k-security-digest component of the Maven http4k library.
What is the main issue with the DigestAuthProvider in CVE-2026-54147?
The main issue is that the DigestAuthProvider's algorithm is silently forced to MD5, compromising the expected security of digest authentication.